Unmatched Beauty ~ Flamenco Beach Other People's Vacation Pics

I have to tell you that if you're planning to visit our neighboring islands of Culebra or Vieques during a visit to Puerto Rico, you should try to think ahead and get your tickets online.  It's easy to buy them at the Porferry website, but also be aware that once you click, it's done.  No refunds, no matter what.  There is also a pretty hefty convenience fee, per ticket, that comes with the privilege, but if you have to get there... it's worth it.  It's also ridiculously inexpensive to take the ferry service anyway, even with the fee!

Ominous weather!  Hope they don't cancel the ferry!

When you get to the ferry dock, you'll also be given priority boarding with the online tickets.  Another perk!  Now, with all of that being said... we didn't know that our guest wanted to go to Culebra until the day before we went!  By that time, all of the early tickets were sold, as were the daylight return trips.  So we ended up taking the 11am ferry over, and then returning on the 9pm service.  Yes.  We were out gallivanting on the seas and roads until after midnight!  Thanks to June for driving.  And that's another story that I'll save until the end!

So, after a leisurely morning, June drove us to Ceiba and dropped us off to get the tickets while she parked the car.  Turns out, that was also fortuitous, because immediately after we bought our three tickets for the 11am ferry, it was sold out!  Guess this is what happens when you try to go to Culebra on a Friday!!!

There's been a lot of drama with the ferry service lately, but other than the 9:30 ferry leaving VERY late, our trip was uneventful.  We got great seats inside, at a table by the window.  I was still concerned about the passing squalls out there, but it looked like the black clouds were going to pass to the south of us.  Still, the waves were rather "Sporty".  That's a term us sailor-folk use for sucky conditions! Certainly not bad enough to halt ferry traffic, but uncomfortable enough to leave the majority of the passengers with faces buried in the barf bags by the end of the trip!  The stewards were running from one person to another, handing out fistfuls of cotton balls soaked in something... I assumed alcohol, but I could be wrong.  Supposedly it was to help with the smell if you held the cotton to your nose.  I simply refused to acknowledge that any of this was happening, and that worked ok for me.

This never gets old!

As soon as the boat docked, all of that nonsense disappeared, and everyone hustled to the door like so many cattle!  If cattle liked beaches, that is.  In one fluid motion, we left the ferry and were ushered onto one of many waiting shuttle vans that would take us, and all of our gear, straight to our desired destination... Flamenco Beach!

This beach is on so many lists of "Top XX Beaches".  And the reputation is well worth it.  My worries that conditions would be too rough to be enjoyed were for naught.  There was a red flag flying, indicating that the surf was rough, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the time I came here and got pummeled, causing me to lose my sunglasses, which were never seen again!  Today would be a piece of cake!

In this photo, Bruce and I were discussing how much we love our lives!

There's not much to say about sitting in a chair beneath an umbrella, other than, if you haven't tried it... you should!  The breeze was variable, causing our umbrella to require extra assistance if we didn't want to chase it down the beach.  But we figured out how to anchor it with one of the chairs, as long as someone had their butt planted in that chair at all times.  No problem with three people!

Does he look ready to give up that chair?  Nope!

Perfection!

June went out into the water for a while as Bruce and I got settled.  Then I went out to join her, and we both came back to give Bruce his turn.  He wasn't quite ready yet, so we had a little lunch break, then  June and I took a stroll up the beach to see how the old M4 Sherman tanks are doing.  The two tanks on this beach were left behind in about 1975, when the US Navy departed the area, after using it for bombing practice for many years.  Now they're just a tourist curiosity, made more interesting by the colorful graffiti that covers the rust! Yes, they're still there!

The sand comes and goes, but today there was plenty around the tank so there was no wading to get to it.  Easy for photo ops!

Did I mention the PERFECTION???

The water here is a million shades of green and blue.  The sand is a delicate coral pink/white that stretches as far as you can see.  The waves today were a little boisterous further down the beach, but the area we were in is somewhat protected by the reef just outside the swimming area.  After a nice lunch of local Puerto Rican favorites, and maybe more than one trip to the bar...  June and I deserted Bruce once again for another refreshing dip in the crystal waves!

The beach has a concession area where vendors sell food, drinks and trinkets. 

One of the big ones that buoyed us up and over! 

Yes, I'm being a good girl and protecting myself from the sun.  

Ms. Canada has to get some color before her time here is done!

After relaxing at the beach for the afternoon, we decided that we would take a chance that maybe we could talk our way onto the 5pm ferry.  If not, maybe we could leave our beach gear at the terminal while we spent our remaining hours at the Dinghy Dock.  That would be a "no" and a "no".... So, just before the restaurant officially opened for the dinner crowd, we lugged all of our sandy gear over to a table at one of our favorite spots on the island, the aforementioned Dinghy Dock.

Giant bird eats dinghy driver!

The time passed quickly as we sipped our beverages and waited for the kitchen to produce some appetizers for us.  I had mentioned to June that sometimes the employees of the restaurant would feed the tarpon and Frigatebirds, but no promises.  With no fanfare whatsoever, a guy walked over to the dock and began rousting up the tarpon!  We rushed over to see the ruckus, just in time to see the first huge bird come in for a snack!

What an amazing thing to see!  The fish roiling in the water below, while the carousel of enormous, prehistoric-looking bird beasts circle and dive for the chicken scraps.  They will sometimes even come take food from the hand!  What LUCK!

After that all died down, we settled once again, and I was having a conversation via message with a Cruiser friend that is anchored here in Bahia Hondo.  I was hoping that with zero notice, she and her husband could be lured to shore for a visit.  But it was not to be.  At the precise moment that our conversation ended, I heard someone speak my name.

I looked up to see Cruiser friends we haven't seen since Grenada, approaching our table with arms out for a big hug!  Wow!  What luck!  Cori and Dale had been finishing their dinner at another local hangout, when she saw my post.  They paid their tab and hustled right over!  How awesome is that!?? Cruiser friends are friends for ever, and we never miss an opportunity to catch up if it is offered. Thanks Hi-Flight for changing your plans and making this happen!  It really warmed my heart to know that we're still part of the Cruiser crowd!

Suddenly, it was time to pay our tab and get back over to the ferry landing for the ride home.  We didn't have to wait in line due to Bruce's "Old Guy" perks.  Nope, we got to go inside and sit while we waited!  We were all so very tired after a day in the sun, being able to sit was a miracle!

The ride back to the big island was completely uneventful, unless you can consider being frozen out as an event.  I think the crew are making us suffer for causing them to have to work so late into the night! They had the AC cranked down.  Throughout the cabin, people were digging in their bags to produce something... anything that could be worn against the cold!  Sheesh!

Finally it was over, and we were ushered out into the night on the other end.  June took the shuttle to fetch the car, while Bruce and I waited.  I'm so thankful that she was willing to do the driving.  And after our trip home, I was more than a little ashamed at what I put our guest through!

The roads are dark and winding, and littered with bumps and potholes.  That alone would cause problems... But many drivers use their high beam headlights exclusively.  I assume that it helps them to see the holes and bumps... but it doesn't help the poor people oncoming who are completely blinded, over and over again!  Poor June was frazzled!

Add to that, we came up on the rear of a car that was weaving dangerously into the opposite lane and the shoulder.  He weaved so badly that we couldn't even consider going around him... so we were forced to ride behind him at a safe distance... staring at his crazy antics.  We just knew that we would be first on the scene of a terrible crash as time after time, the car went fully into the opposite lane, on an uphill climb or a blind curve.  Several times, the oncoming vehicles narrowly missed our drunken leader.  We didn't know what to do, other than to stare, transfixed at his squirrelly tail lights!

We followed him at about 15 miles per hour for miles.  Eventually we came to a road that bypasses one of the little coastal towns via a tunnel beneath the mountains.  I told her that whichever way that guy goes, we should go the other.  Tunnel it was!  Thankfully we were able to get ahead of the guy, so we never saw him again.  Hopefully he made it to his destination alive.  We were never more thankful to get home! THIS is why I don't like to drive at night!  Thank you again June for taking it on!

What was supposed to be an easy day, ended up being a long, day followed by a hair raising experience...  Tomorrow, maybe we'll take a nice drive in the mountains to relax...

The Amazing Tanamá ~ Other People's Vacation Pics

There's been this one thing that I've wanted to do... but been too afraid. With June here for moral support, I got this wild hair... And she said YES!!! So, bright and early the next morning, June and I left Bruce at home (in case we needed an emergency contact), and drove two hours across the island to do some extreme exploring!

I somehow stumbled across this small business that runs adventure tours in the Island's interior, and for the price of $45 per person... you get the undivided attention of a highly trained, private guide and nature expert... and the experience of a lifetime! Aventureo PR is small, but they only run small groups, and the emphasis is on safety and a personal experience that is second to none.  We signed up for Route 2, but I think they lumped us together with the others who had chosen Route 1, but we didn't care.  It was A. MA. ZING!

Me, the "Chelseas" and June just starting out!

Our Group was only four women today, and I have to say that I was more than a little worried that I might not be able to measure up.  I was the oldest one of the group, and these young women would probably leave me in the bushes if I couldn't go on... but that only made me try harder!

We met our Fearless Leader outside the entrance to the Arecibo Observatory, and were given the final opportunity to chicken out.  José didn't beat around the bush in his description of what was about to happen to us we were about to experience.

For the next six hours we would be trekking through the forest, on trails that are muddy, slippery, rocky and VERY steep! We would be expected to carry our gear, including food and water, and would be completely soaked to the skin before it was over. We would be floating and hiking through a river, and there would be no way of getting help should something happen to us.  A rescue would take hours!  GULP!  I was almost shaken, and if any of the other people in the group had shown fear... I would have bailed.  But everyone committed to pressing on... and so did I!

 José STRONGLY advised that we leave our cell phones in the car, because he assured us that everything we bring will be WET, and possibly crushed! I was convinced.  For this reason... ALL OF THE PHOTOS IN THIS POST WERE TAKEN BY OUR GUIDE, JOSÉ!

The trail began innocently enough.  We walked along the upper rim of the Arecibo dish... but were not allowed to stop or take photos.  It was advised that we be quiet as we stared down into one of the world's largest radiotelegraph facilities.  Once we passed this area, things got a little more relaxed and we began to really enjoy the sights and smells of nature.

Feeling pretty good at this point...

I must have been carrying a little more anxiety about this than I realized, because it was at this point that I began to experience the tell-tale whiteout vision that heralds the arrival of a migraine.  I stopped and said nothing to the group, but fumbled to find an energy bar, hoping that our light breakfast could be the cause.  I knew that if I said anything, it would cause a disruption as I would have to be taken back to the car.  I wasn't going to be that OLD LADY who couldn't hack it!!!  So, I sucked it up, and ignored the headache that would soon come.  Maybe it was the chocolate that gave me a caffeine shot, maybe the headache just knew that I had no choice meant business... but the white blindness soon passed, and the ensuing headache was blessedly mild.

The trail down into the gorge was an elevation change of nearly 1,000 feet, and in no way a straight line.  We had to use every muscle in our bodies to wrench ourselves up vertical inclines using the saplings and trees growing in our path, and scoot on our (muddy) bottoms to keep from tumbling down the ravine to certain death.  Only the dense trees kept us from being able to see the abyss as we trekked along, single file.  José kept up a constant stream of instructions and warnings as we went.  He knows where every slippery spot on this trail is, and he knows exactly how to place your feet and your body to get through the treacherous spots.  All the while, he regaled us with his endless and uplifting stories.

Almost to the bottom of the gorge, and a HUGE cave!

I told you.  Our faces were beet red!

Funny thing about José... he COULD NOT remember our names.  There were only FOUR of us! And two of them shared the same name!!! How hard could it be? He could, however, remember where we were from... so I was Arroyo, June was Canada and the other two Chelseas were Colorado girls.  Super funny and infinitely endearing!!!

After almost an hour and a half of trekking downward, with thighs screaming and the rest of our muscles trembling... we reached the bottom of the ravine.

Looking upward, we could now see why any rescue would take hours.  There was hardly any way for someone to reach us, besides the same way we got here.  If a helicopter could get down here, there would be no place for it to land.

But these walls that isolated us from the rest of the world, also seemed to hold us and make us feel a part of the very flesh that is this beautiful island.  The more I see of Puerto Rico, the more one with her I become.  And today, I have sweated and given all I have to feel a growing and familiar kinship with her.  I know June even left a few drops of blood!  But after all of that pain and sweat, we were about to experience the GOOD part!

We have reached the Tanamá River!  As we made our way down the last embankment, our eyes were drawn to a huge cave!  We would not go inside that one today, as it is part of the more extreme (really???) trail.  This was the upstream point of our journey today.  And it began with a jump of about 10 ft into the river!!!  At this point, I had to be that OLD LADY.  The surgery I had on my nose some 12 years ago has left me without the ability to keep water out, and I can't even hold my nose because it feels so strange.  So, I watched the young women leap, one by one, into the river and come up laughing!  I went around the land trail, which took me to the other side of a really long, low cave.

Here we are floating at the exit to that cave.

The others got to float through it, but I did get to go inside from the downstream end, and float back, so I missed nothing really.

This is where I really WISH I had my camera to share all of this with you.  I will have to suffice with the image in my mind's eye to remind me of the very long, low-ceilinged cave that we swam through.

The water is cold, and the only light is coming from the entrance far ahead, and the exit through which I had just come.  Inside the cave, the sounds of water smacking against some tunnel hidden by the current depths, but it told of many more branches and rooms just out of sight.  We went into one hole in the wall, and I could almost feel the darkness.  The ceiling was lumpy with stalactites, and water seeping through from above made constant little drips that thumped me on the head and I passed beneath them.  It was eerie and magical at the same time.  José told me that this entire ravine was completely drowned during the rainy season, so this was the only time of year this trip is possible.  Thank goodness for an early start!  We would be out of the ravine before the afternoon rains popped up!

We stopped to have some lunch at this point, and enjoyed the cool water for a bit before moving on downstream.

We followed the river as it wound through the deep gorge, with the walls towering above us.  Bird sounds and the water were the only things that competed with our voices as we slogged through water to our knees, scrambled over dry, rocky spots, felt for each foot-hold to keep from falling on our asses, and flung ourselves into the current to get a free ride in the deeper parts. AND we floated through MORE caves!  Thankfully I saw no bats!  But they were there...

It was invigorating!  It was freeing!  It was LIVING!  Ahh, this is what my soul needs!

Do I look like I'm loving life right now?  

Happy faces!

This is the EASY part!

We drank from these natural springs and the water was the BEST!

Our handsome and charismatic leader, José

Free ride!

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and the altitude we had previously given up, must be somehow regained.  But first... we've got to get out of this river!  When José announced that we had reached the end of the river portion, we kind of all looked around for a place to crawl out.  There was none.  The walls around us were all vertical.  Only one spot was maybe 10 ft of rock face, with an overhang near the top, and a narrow ledge.

We all stared up at the ledge incredulously and I know what was in everyone's mind. "No"

But José headed us off at the pass with a pep talk, well, really more of a Come-to-Jesus moment.  There would be no negativity.  There would be no refusal.  There would be no way out of this river without first scaling that rock wall.  And, he would show us how to make it easy.  More than a little doubtful, but afraid to open my mouth to contradict him at this point... I watched as he made quick work of it.

That ledge behind us is where we exited the river.

OK.  That didn't look too bad.  And he's a BIG GUY!  Surely we could do it.  One by one, we each followed his explicit instructions:  Right foot here, hands here and here, left foot here.  Lift, then put your hands here and here.  Then pull yourself up onto the ledge and crouch.  Turn around, put your right foot in this spot, then cross your left leg over and place your left foot onto this impossibly tiny foothold on the outer wall... then give him your left arm and lunge toward him as he pulls you over onto the next ledge.  Stand up, switch places, then put your right foot there, right hand here, left hand on his shoulder, then lunge upward and put your left foot where his hand is to keep it from sliding off... then grab that rock and pull yourself on up.  There!  Nothing to it!  And you know what?  We did it!  I can't believe it!

The forest seemed to close up behind us.

Then, after a brief congratulatory break, (and a minute to let the water drain out of our 50lb backpacks)... we began the ascent.  It looked daunting, but you know what?  Going up was actually easier than going down. Sure, our legs were once again screaming, but at least when we lost a foothold or slipped on the muddy spots, we could fall forward, and not tumble down the hill!

Slowly, foot by foot, we listened to José's stories and absorbed the knowledge about the trees and flowers we passed along the way.  It took our minds off of our trials and made the time fly by.  Suddenly, we began to recognize the trail as being the very beginning from this morning!  Hooray!  We made it!  With huge smiles, and a little more spring in our steps, those last few meters melted away.  And with them, all of the pain and fear (yes, fear) I had been feeling. I just kept thinking how irritated my children would be if I failed to return...  But now, all that was left was that enormous feeling of jubilation at the accomplishment we had just achieved.  WE DID IT!  We survived!  And we were hungry!

We cleaned ourselves up enough to get into the car, and drove to (at José's recommendation) Lechonera Rancho T for lunch.  Pork and rice never tasted so good as we stuffed our faces sitting in the rain.  Yes, the afternoon rains have begun!

It was mid afternoon by this time, and it didn't take me long to figure out where our next stop must be... The Hot Mineral Baths at Coamo!  Our tired bodies would benefit greatly from a relaxing soak in the mineral springs with soothing music and quiet conversation as the setting sun lit up the sky. No photos of that either folks.  I'm not sure I could have lifted my arms to snap the shot.  At this point, we were just enjoying the moment and our achievement.  Maybe June didn't consider this as much of a big deal as I do, but honestly, it was almost the brink of my endurance, and I never would have tried it without her.  She just trekked on ahead as if it were nothing while I felt like I was barely hanging on many times over.  Six Hours.  But what an amazing day it was.

Last quick stop!  Hector PR Bandera #65 in Santa Isabel!

I have to say, that if you're not in reasonably good condition, this is not something you should try, but if you're more in shape than a 56 year old lady who has spent some years lying around on a sailboat... GO FOR IT!  You'll be glad you did!

Beaches, Falls, And Rivers ~ Other-People's-Vacation-Pics

We love exploring our island!  Even more, we love showing her off to people who come to visit us.  Some visitors are more interested in non-stop exploring than  others.  But the award for Most Energetic Guest goes to our most recent visitor... June.  She came to visit us all the way from the frigid provinces of Canada!  So, without further ado, enjoy her visit in segments... because it wouldn't all fit into just one blog post!

She arrived late in the evening, so our first day was kind of chill, and of course, our own beach was the first place we took her!  June is younger than me, and is very physically fit, so a beach walk was the perfect way to begin the day!  And of COURSE we took her down to see our favorite palm trees for a photo shoot!


Knowing that we were well on our way to getting our daily steps in... we moved on to some more adventurous fun!  Cascada el Survivor was our next stop!

Catching a glimpse of her as she disappeared over the roots!

I should have known how this week would go, after seeing the way June just took off along the muddy, slippery trail alongside the river as if she has done this a thousand times!  Bruce and I had to scramble to keep up as we followed her over huge tree roots growing across the trail, and around giant, moss-covered boulders.

Bruce,  bringing up the rear as he rounds this huge rock!

The trail is cool and dark, with the sound of the rushing river ever present just beyond the veil of forest.  But there are no signs to direct you along the way. I caught up to June just as she slowed to scramble up, and over a cluster of boulders on the river's edge.  Here I let her know that we had arrived!  This was the lower pool beneath the falls where we would set up camp for the afternoon.

Knowing when to go to the rivers of Puerto Rico is important.  When the rains fall in the mountains, it can cause flash floods in the lower portions of these rivers, and it rains almost every day in the mountains.  But it rains in the afternoons... so you know it's usually (unless it's been raining a LOT) safe to visit these little downstream pockets of paradise in the morning or early afternoon. I like to go between 11am and 1pm because temperatures are cooler in the mountains, and the waters are often COLD!

We settled on the rocks and Bruce was the first one to dive in!  He took a little swim while we shucked our outerwear and watched.  He swam into the grotto and announced that the current wasn't too strong today!

Bruce testing the waters in the grotto.

As soon as Bruce returned, we spread out our picnic blanket and laid out the lunch.  There isn't really a level place to sit and eat, so we perched on the rocks and enjoyed our picnic as we watched a waterbird find fish nearby.  The sounds of rushing water and birds singing in the soaring trees provide the perfect setting for our meal.

Seeing the grotto for the first time

Now fortified with sustenance... June and I made the swim across the pool and into the mysterious grotto!  This was the first time inside for BOTH of us.  I've made it as far as the point where the rocks squeeze the river, causing a stronger current.  But today, the current wasn't enough to keep me out!  The wait was well worth it as we swam harder to reach the inner sanctuary where the falls spill into these pools.

There are unseen boulders lying beneath the water's surface that you have to swim over to get inside. Once there, you'll find another huge, somewhat flat rock that provides the perfect place to sit and enjoy the natural splendor that surrounds you.  The walls of the river canyon soar overhead and trees provide a canopy that embraces you in this secluded paradise.  It's difficult not to imagine that you're the only people in the world at moments like these.  Or is that just me...

Approaching the current cut!

As you know, I almost NEVER go anywhere without a camera.  But that's just what I did.  I went in with no way of documenting, or sharing this magic.  I just could not let that stand, so we swam back out to our little camp, and I tucked my iPhone inside my hat and turned right back around to go in again.  June went with me, and as I began taking pictures before making it through the current cut, it was a bit of a struggle!  June ended up pulling me the last couple of feet so that I could get far enough onto the slippery rock to sit!  So enjoy my compulsion to show you all that is magical about Puerto Rico...

June sits on the flat rock ledge.

This is the spot where the current is the least strong.

We sat on that rock, enjoying the experience and having a little bit of fun.  June swam out into the current, across the pool to the deep end where, I'm sure lives a Kracken. Evidently Canadians don't know about the KRACKEN!

Getting back out of the grotto was much easier!  Just float and let yourself go... like bumper boats!

How hard could it be?

After relaxing a bit more, we packed up our picnic and prepared to head back to the car.  On our way in, we met up with a group of vacationers staying in our condo property with whom I had shared this paradise.  They told us that they had done the return trek in the river instead of the muddy river bank path.  I talked June into trying this with me, while Bruce took the land route!

She and I handed off our bags to Bruce, and set out to find a way down river, slipping and splashing all the way.  It wasn't as easy as it looked!

Once again, June took the lead!

Bruce was just beginning to worry about us as we surprised him!  Near the car, we left the river and rejoined the path along the bank, which brought us up behind him!  I'm not sure what he would have done if we had failed to return...  But we don't have to think about that now!

We went back to our condo and spent the remainder of the day lounging by the pool!  Our first day was a success as we eased June into Island Life!  While we cooled it in the pool, we made our plans for the rest of the week...  And let me assure you... THIS was the easy day!